Related Posts

I agree with Dori-lyn. My Walmart is in Penticton, in the interior of BC and they are horrible. They have a way of making me feel guilty for wasting their time by the time I leave. I find myself apologizing the whole time I’m checking out.

I have started doing some pricematching when I’m going there for something anyway,want to do a one-stop shop, and don’t want to keep hauling two kids out of the car. Going to the Walmart near me is kind of depressing, though. Most of the customers look like they’ve lived a lifetime of hard times, many of the children are ragged and dirty, and I hate watching the parents fill their carts with bacon, soda, and chips. (I feel like I want to buy their kids clothes, shoes, and milk). All too often, people who don’t seem to be able to afford it are buying diapers and other necessities at full price. No Walmart grocery at the nearby store yet, so not a lot of fresh food options. Somehow, these people believe that Walmart always has the best prices and miss the fact that Superstore next door often has better sales. Makes me really sad. “The People of Walmart” isn’t far off.

Your Walmart must not be like this, Cassie?

Was at Shoppers yesterday, and saw a family like this come in (kind of rare for Shoppers). Even though Cheerios were on for $1.99 a box, the mother loaded up her cart with chips and Pepsi and told the three kids they’d buy their cereal at Dollarama across the street. Does Dollarama really sell cheaper cereal?

I sometimes wonder how we can reach some of these people to help them become savvier shoppers? I’m not sure they’re seeking out information on their own.

@ Elizabeth: I agree with you, its sad when moms who seem to be lower income dont understand the power of saving money and healthy choices. Nothing makes more cringe more than seeing little kids devour a happy meal or drink pop.
My SIL is lower income/single mom and I offered her coupons in the past for her and her son and she cringed at me.
It also is a fact that lower income families/mothers are more likely too formula feed there children instead of breast (This isnt a dig at mothers who choose to formula feed it just makes me wonder if they are not getting information to make educated choices)

if i had to make a guessabout lower income women and formula feed,i would guess it is likely because the woman may need to return to work sooner that the yr of childcare leave for the additional income.

Personally I do not shop at wal-mart, yes it may be easier to coupon there. But at what cost?? The corporation kills small businesses, doesn’t pay enough when they can afford it, and I’m sure they do a whole plethora of other questionable or unethical business practises that are swept under the rug by having an enormous wealth to persuade whoever can be bribed to stay quiet.

We in Canada are one of the richest nations, spend that 10 extra dollars and buy your meats and veggies from smaller local businesses. Instead of feeding a huge corporation.

On another note, it is extremely upsetting to see any children being fed a diet of unhealthy prepackaged foods. Those parents will claim that it is less expensive and they have no money for fresh foods, but this is not even remotely the case. I have always thought it was important to buy groceries to make healthy meals, but when I first finished college I found groceries were getting too expensive.
Looking into my spending, I found the only unaffordable ingredient I was purchasing was meat, since then I have adopted a schedule of meat twice a week (if I like the looks of what is on sale) and vegetarian options the rest of the week.
At first this was difficult to me, but I have done a ton of research over the years and expanded my food and recipe knowledge. Not only am I healthier and more well rounded (food wise) I am helping to reduce the strain on animal consumption, sometimes I go months without eating meat. It is not a necessity and most people are completely gluttonous in their meat consumption.

Ditto what Katie and Kara said. I took a business course in college, and Walmart ranked among the highest for worst employers, worst company to deal with in a business manner, etc. They will not pay delivery companies if a shipment in even one minute late. Poor business ethics, and they pass them on to the customer by ripping off the companies they buy from. I appreciate they are the easiest to deal with for coupons, but they are not the best choice if you want to contribute to the well being of other Canadian companies.

ps Cassie,
I love your site and check it every day. Thanks for all your work. I just really do not like what Walmart has done to the smaller Canadian businesses that are more deserving of our business.

I go to WM at least one a week as they offer so much in one store, price match, let me use printable coupons and give overage.

I know that people are saying they would never shop there but that is their opinion. I think that the WM I shop at the cashiers are ALWAYS nice, never mean or making me feel like I am personally stealing from them or their company. They are always so delighted by how much I save using the above mentioned tactics.

I feel good about getting a good deal and saving money so I can provide for my family. If that makes me a terrible person for shopping at WM then so be it!

I have loads of trouble with coupons at my Wal Mart – it always takes forever and/or they don’t accept them. My Shopper’s has always been awesome with coupons so I go there alot. We don’t have the Wal Mart Supercenters with produce and meats so I can often wait for a sale somewhere else to get the same price.

I find with Wal Mart you have to watch some prices because you are often in the Wal Mart is cheaper mindset when you go but if you look carefully some items are not always the cheapest!

Walmart is the best for couponing and price matching. The only thing I have found is that it is better to go through the express lines so that there is not an impatient line growing behind you. I was at a Walmart once, and the lady in front of me had a piled high cart. She laid things out on the conveyor and matched up her coupons and proceeded to price match everything. I was cheering her on in my head…..telling my kids how smart she was, etc, but it took 20 minutes and the line behind her was long. You could tell people were getting a little irritated. Still, I admired her.

I have had cashiers at walmart have no clue what to do and had to call someone, meaning my the line behind me was growing. That was when I decided it was smarter to use the express line.

Kerri….I agree that most cashiers there are friendly. If you were to ever read a book called “The Bully of Bentonville” (about Walmart), you would wonder how employees there can ever smile. They are treated pretty poorly.

Maybe for those who leave in Ontario Wal Mart is better, but here in Quebec I think that is Maxi the best! (But I think you have Maxi in Ontario??) I don’t know why, but price matched at Wal Mart it’s soooo longg!!!! The cashier take the flyer, read it, after she scan the produce, after she has to enter the good price, after she have to take a paper out the cash then staples it to your flyer and the cashier keep the flyer. It is sooo long if you have lots of price match. At the Maxi it’s so easier, the cashier enter the price et it’s over, it takes seconds!!! 🙂 At my Maxi they also take all my coupons and I never had any problems with them. At the Wal Mart they also don’t always want to take coupons if they are in english (because we speak french 🙂 wich I think it’s against the coupon policy. Also here in Quebec we do not have a lot of Wal Mart Supercenter who sell fruits ang vegetables (we have I think 4 in all the province!) Most of ou r Wal Mart just have a little grocery.

MrsJanuary.com was founded in 2007 and is one of the top frugal living blogs for Canadians (and anyone else who enjoys saving money, really!). We're dedicated to helping you learn the exact strategies to saving big money every time you shop. »» [read more] ««

Get FREE TIPS in Your Inbox

Email Address

Contact Us

We would love to hear from you! Send us your comments, concerns, even constructive criticism. E-mail us a message to let us know how your experience was at MrsJanuary.com!